Sudan fuel shortage worsens as local currency hits record low

June 11, 2026 (PORT SUDAN) – A severe fuel shortage has worsened across several Sudanese states, prompting the Transitional Sovereign Council to intervene on Thursday as the local currency plunged to a historic low.

The country’s sovereign council met with energy ministry officials in Port Sudan to address the crisis, which has left drivers queuing for hours at filling stations in states like Kassala and Al-Jazirah.

Energy Ministry Undersecretary Ali Abdul Rahman said following the meeting that the crunch is expected to ease within 24 hours as a fuel tanker begins offloading its cargo.

Sudan’s long-running fuel challenges have been severely exacerbated by extensive damage to its domestic oil infrastructure, particularly the shutdown of the Al-Jaili refinery, which previously met around 70% of domestic consumption.

The stoppage has forced the war-torn nation to rely entirely on fuel imports, straining its foreign exchange reserves.

The fuel crisis coincides with a dramatic collapse of the Sudanese pound, which has hit a record low of 4,700 pounds to the U.S. dollar on the parallel market.

Sovereign Council member Ibrahim Jaber directed energy, intelligence, and finance officials during Thursday’s emergency meeting to secure petroleum products while working to stabilize the plummeting exchange rate.

Abdul Rahman issued a formal warning to several private importing companies that failed to offload their fuel shipments as agreed, blaming their non-compliance for the recent supply gaps.

To combat market chaos, the government has reactivated a joint pricing committee comprising the energy and finance ministries, the central bank, and economic security agencies to standardize fuel prices at the pump.

Separately, the Ministry of Energy met with 45 public and private importing firms in Port Sudan on Thursday to discuss updated import regulations for 2026, granting companies one week to review the proposals.

Officials noted that securing steady oil supplies has become increasingly difficult due to domestic conflict and global supply tightening linked to recent tensions in the Gulf region.